End closure for mixing drums



y 19319- F. OREILLY 2,157,731

END CLOSURE FOR MIXING DRUMS Filed Feb. 14; 1938 r I II VVTOR. 11y (Sifi ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES END CLOSURE FOR MIXING DRUMS Francis ORcilly, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Transit Mixers, Inc., a corporation of Nevada Application February 14, 1938, Serial No. 190,461

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in end closures for the discharge openings of concrete mixing drums.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an end closure for the discharge opening of a concrete mixing drum, embodying a construction capable of being tightly closed during the mixing operation and opened to an extent required to permit the discharge of the drums contents.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved door for the end opening of a concrete mixing drum, embodying novel means for easily moving the door to open or closed positions without the necessity of rotating it.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter or will be indicated in the appended claims or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of an end closure for mixing drums representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for the purpose of illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention, nor is it to be given an interpretation such as might have the effect of limiting the claims, short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, the figure is a vertical sectional view taken axially through the end portion of a concrete mixing drum, showing the end closure for the rear discharge opening of the drum in vertical section and in a closed position.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l0 designates a conventional concrete mixing drum of the type having a rear discharge opening around which is provided an outwardly flared annular flange I 0. The inner face of the flange ll constitutes a circular seat for the periphery of a closure l2, the latter having an axial opening therein.

Supported axially within the mixing drum It], as by radially disposed tubular braces I3, is a non-rotatable screw shaft 14 which projects rearwardly through the discharge opening of the drum.

Positioned rearwardly of the drums discharge opening is a rotatable hand wheel l5 having an internally threaded hub or nut l6 which receives the screw shaft l4. Secured as by bolts l1 and nuts 18 to the hub I6 is a cylindrical casing l9 which encloses the rear end of the screw shaft and serves to prevent particles of concrete or other material from collecting on the latter. The 5 rear end of the cylindrical casing I9 is provided with a fitting 20 adapted for use with a grease gun to inject grease into the interior of the said casing for lubrication purposes.

The hub 16 is provided with a forwardly dis- 10 posed reduced portion which provides an annular seat 2| at its periphery for loosely seating a ring 22 which is axially secured as by pins or rivets 23 to the closure I2. The inner circumferential face of the ring 22 is somewhat rounded so as to prevent undue friction and to allow the periphery of the closure l2 to properly seat on the flared flange II. The ring 22 is provided with one or more oil or grease channels 24 leading from its inner rounded face to a point near its outer edge where a fitting 25 adapted for use with a grease gun is located. So as to maintain the ring 22 on its seat 2| when the hub I6 is rotated to move the closure I2 to an open position, a ring-shaped plate 26 is secured as by the bolts l1 and the nuts l8 to the forward end of the said hub.

Suitably secured as by welding or other suitable means to the ring-shaped plate 26 is a forwardly disposed sleeve 21 which extends around the screw shaft l4 and serves to prevent concrete material from collecting thereon. The extreme rear end of the screw shaft I4 is provided with a washer 28 which is held thereon by a nut 29, the said washer serving as a stop member for normally preventing the hub 16 from becoming detached from the said shaft.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In closure means for mixing drums, a mixing drum having an end opening, a non-rotatable screw shaft extending through the end opening of the drum, a hand wheel having a hub screwably mounted on the shaft, a closure for the end opening oftthe drum, the said closure having an opening through which the hub extends, a ring-shaped member secured to the closure, the said ring-shaped member being loosely mounted on the hub, and means for normally preventing the detachment of the ring-shaped member from the hub.

2. In a closure for mixing drums, a mixing drum having a circular end opening, the said end opening being concentric with the longitudinal axis of the drum, a non-rotatable screw shaft 66 extending axially through the end opening of the drum, a hand wheel having a hub screwably mounted on the shaft, a closure for the drums end opening, having an axial opening, a ringshaped member secured axially to the closure, the said ring-shaped member having its inner face rounded and loosely mounted on the hub, the said ring-shaped member having a grease or oil channel extending from a point on its inner rounded face to a point at its outer side, and a ring-shaped plate secured to the forward end of the hub for normally preventing the detachment of therring-shaped member from the hub.

3. In a closure means for mixing drums, a mixing drum having a circular end opening for the discharge of materials, the said end opening being concentric with the longitudinal axis of the drum, a non-rotatable screw shaft extending axially through the end opening, a nut screwably mounted on the shaft, a hand operable member secured to the nut, a closure for the end opening of the drum having an axial opening through which the nut extends, a ring loosely mounted on the nut and secured to the closure at the latters axial opening, the said ring being rounded at its inner circumferential edge.

4. In a closure means for mixing drums, a mixing drum having an end opening for the discharge of materials, a non-rotatable screw shaft extending through the end opening, a nut screwably mounted on the shaft, a hand operable member secured to the nut, a closure for the end opening of the drum having an opening through which the nut extends, a ring loosely mounted on the nut and secured to the closure at the latters opening, the said ring having a rounded inner circumferential face which extends around the nut and also an oil or grease channel leading from a point at its rounded face to a point at its outer side, means secured to the nut for normally preventing the detachment of the ring from the nut, a rearwardly disposed tubular casing secured to the nut and positioned around the rear end of the screw shaft, and means in the casing for injecting oil or grease for lubricating the screw shaft and nut.

5. In closure means for mixing drums, a concrete mixing drum having an end opening for the discharge of materials, a non-rotatable screw shaft extending through the end opening, a nut screwably mounted on the shaft having an annular grooved seat between its forward and rear ends, a hand operable member secured to the nut, a closure for the end opening of the drum having an opening through which the nut extends, a ring loosely extending around the nut and secured to the closure at the latters axial opening, the said ring having a rounded inner circumferential edge which is loosely positioned on the nuts annular seat, whereby said ring may shift its position on said nut in accordance with the change of position of the closure when the latter is moved to a closing position with respect to the end opening of the drum.

FRANCIS OREILLY. 

